Parents will be informed, when their child starts school and at the start of every school year, the procedures for collecting the pupils at the end of the school day. If this changes, parent/carers will be informed. Parents must abide by the school’s procedures for collection, to ensure that the pupils are dismissed safely.

Appointments

Parent/carers are advised to make appointments outside of the school day where possible. However, if a parent/carer needs to collect the pupil early for an appointment, then a copy of the appointment letter/card should be shown to a member of staff in the school office, in advance.

Contact details

It is essential that parents provide the school with a record of their contact details, i.e. names, addresses, home, work & mobile telephone numbers. If possible, parents must also provide the school with the contact details of at least two other relatives/carers who can be called when the parent/carer cannot be contacted or in the event of an emergency. The school will endeavour to keep this record up to date by reminding parents of the need to notify the school of any changes.

Persons collecting pupils

It is not school policy to allow any unknown persons to collect pupils from the school. If a ‘new person’ is going to be collecting a pupil at the end of the school day, the school must be informed by the parent/carer (with a brief description of the adult who is going to be collecting the pupil). Under 18s are not permitted to collect pupils at the end of the day.

In case of illness

The school does not have nursing facilities so in the case of a child becoming unwell a parent/carer will be contacted to come and collect him/her. The expectation is that a child is collected immediately to meet the health and emotional needs of the child and to minimise the risk of cross infection to others.

Managing parents / carers suspected to be under the influence of drugs/alcohol

School staff will immediately alert the Headteacher or other school leader if they consider a parent/carer is under the influence alcohol or drugs when attempting to collect a pupil.

If the pupil is thought to be potentially ‘at risk’ or likely to suffer ‘harm’ by leaving the school premises with the parent/carer, then the school will refuse to hand over the pupil – this will happen if the parent/carer is in no fit state to take charge of the pupil. The appropriate services will be notified immediately, i.e. the police, who have emergency protection powers, and Children’s Social Care.

The school’s designated person for child protection will record both the incident and any resultant actions taken following the school’s safeguarding procedures.

Procedures for dealing with children who are not collected at the end of the day

Heap Bridge Village Primary School recognises that it has a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of its pupils, and that this duty extends to having arrangements in place for dealing with pupils not collected from school at the end of the school day or school activity.

School Protocol:

5-10 minutes

Children to be taken to the school office. A phone call will be made to parents in contact priority order. Children may be sent to after school club.

10-30 minutes

School will continue to attempt to make contact with parents/carers.

30 minutes

If no contact has been made school will inform Rochdale Children’s Social Care

Procedures for Start & End of Day (for release of children)

START OF DAY:

The school day starts at 9am. Children are expected to be in school and ready for registration no later than 9am. School staff are ready to take responsibility for children arriving earlier than this at 8:50am when the school doors on the lower playground are opened. Until this time parents are responsible for the welfare of their children.

At 8:50am the school doors will open and children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are expected to enter school via the Key Stage 1/library entrance. Children in Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 are expected to enter via the Key Stage 2 entrance. On entering the school building children in KS1 go to the cloakroom to remove their outdoor clothing before going to class. Children in KS2 (excluding Y5&6 girls who have their own cloakroom) go straight to class.

Class teachers are expected to be in class as children enter to welcome each child for the day ahead.

Please note that staff are not able to take messages from parents while supervising the children in to school. Messages should be given to the school office.

END OF DAY:

Reception:

At 3.10pm the children are handed over to parents from the reception class entrance. Children will not be released until a parent is seen.

Year 1

At 3.10pm the children are escorted down the infant stairs to the exit by the library. The children line up along the wall, either inside the building or on the ramp, and are only allowed to leave when a member of staff has seen a parent/carer in the playground.

Year 2

At 3.10pm the children are escorted down the junior stairs to the exit by the Year 3 classroom. The children line up along the wall, either inside the building or on the ramp, and are only allowed to leave when a member of staff has seen a parent/carer in the playground.

For both Year 1 and 2 we ask for all parents/carers to come into the playground rather than waiting on the path at the side of school.

Year 3

At 3.15pm the children are escorted to the exit by the Year 3 classroom. The children come out to the school yard to look for their parents and are only allowed to leave when they have informed a member of staff that their parent/carer is in the playground.

Year 4

At 3.15pm the children are escorted to the exit via the exit by the library. The children come out to the school yard to look for their parents and are only allowed to leave when they have informed a member of staff that their parent/carer is in the playground.

We always encourage good communication between parents/carers and staff but please note that staff are only able to speak to parents/carers when all the children have been dismissed. The safety of pupils is our number one priority.

We also ask that if parents know they will be late then to call the school so we can alert the class teacher. This ensures we know which children are likely to be left behind and also enables us to reassure your child with an explanation as to why you are late.

Year 5:

Children in Year 5 are dismissed from class at the end of the day (unless parents request individual arrangements) and children are expected to leave school via the library/infant staircase. If they are expecting to be collected and no-one is there to greet them they should return to school and inform the school office. A member of staff will then call a parent to confirm collection arrangements.

Year 6:

Children in Year 6 are dismissed from class at the end of the day (unless parents request individual arrangements) and children are expected to leave school via the office/junior staircase. If they are expecting to be collected and no-one is there to greet them they should return to school and inform the school office. A member of staff will then call a parent to confirm collection arrangements.

Additional Notes for Parents

Start of Day:

Parents are responsible for the safety of their children until they enter the school. Our doors open at 8:50am.

Staff are not able to take messages from parents at the start of day while supervising the children in to school. Messages should be given to the school office.

End of Day

If your child is in Year 1-4 please wait in the school playground for your child. If you wish to establish an alternative arrangement please see your child’s class teacher or the Headteacher.

If your child is in Year 5 & 6 please ensure your child knows your expectations for collection at the end of the day. If you do not collect them from the school yard yourself you are still responsible for their safety once they have been dismissed from school.

Children who have not been collected at the end of the school day may be sent to the after school club. Parents will be subject to a charge in these circumstances.

Where children are not collected by 3:45pm, Children’s Social Care may be contacted.